Breathtaking Buenos Aires

From the moment you touch down, Buenos Aires will sweep you up in a passionate embrace and dance the tango with you until you’re completely and utterly spent… and then you’ll tango some more.

Take time to explore the must-see sights of Buenos Aires, including the Casa Rosada, Teatro Colón, the Recoleta Cultural Center and Cementerio de la Recoleta to visit the grave of Eva Peron.

Palermo offers trendy shopping and eclectic restaurants for the new-age traveller, as does La Boca barrio with its interesting architecture and trendy markets. Hit San Telmo's Plaza Dorrego for antique markets and (in what seems like something of a contradiction in term) casual tango dancing.

The ‘Paris of Argentina’, Buenos Aires is trendy, romantic and has just enough of an edge to prevent its dazzling architectural elegance from being twee. It’s the mysterious and beautiful foreigner that seduces you, reveals to you the exquisite pain of love and then sets you free, head spinning and heart racing, never to forget your amorio aventura.

Sound dramatic? That’s because it is. Care to tango?

Buenos Aires’ Top 10

10. Hollywood in Cambodia No-one knows where the name came from, but that doesn’t matter. Famous and budding street artists show-off their style in this underground circuit.

5. Museo Casa de Ricardo Rojas A bit of a mouthful so try not to say it to anyone if you’re not sure! A giant courtyard surrounded by incredible architecture.

9. Zaveleta Lab This gallery shows the edge of the city’s art scene. Sip a glass of wine and say, ‘yes, yes’ if you don’t understand it.

4. El Albasto Part of the real tour of Buenos Aires, meet people other than tourists and get some good shopping done.

8. Palacio Barolo A building in tribute to Dante’s Divine Comedy. So, yeah, it’s pretty weird. The upper floors provide some of the best views of the city.

3. Parque Temalken Not just any old zoo. This is where all the finest, sweetest animals are on display. Little pygmy hippos and white tigers. Aww!

7.Circo del Aire An amazing circus troupe that stage outdoor shows as well as running workshops to teach acrobatics to children and adults. Hunt around San Telmo to catch them.

2. Cementerio de la Recoleta It may sound morbid, but this cemetery is fascinating and beautiful. Check out some tombstones of the rich and the famous, including Argentina’s most loved (and hated) woman, Eva ‘Evita’ Peron.

6. Pasaje de la Defensa Originally built back in 1880 this old conventillo is scattered with antique shops and nice outdoor hideouts to waste some time in.

1. Casa Rosada Speaking of Evita, the balcony of this presidential palace is where she gave some of her most iconic speeches. Literally meaning the Pink House (for obvious reasons), it’s Argentina’s most iconic building, centre of government and museum all rolled into one.

Buenos Aires History

Palacio Barolo – The best place to go for a great 360-degree view of the city of Buenos Aires.

Casa Rosada – The “Pink House” is where the executive branch of the government is housed.

Congreso – Filling the plaza area where it sits, this building was modelled after the White House in Washington, D.C.

Plaza de Mayo – Considered the political centre of Argentina and home to the famous balcony of the Casa Rosado, where Evita Peron gave many speeches.

Avenida de Mayo – This long avenue crosses many well-known and historical areas of the city.

Buenos Aires Art & Culture

Teatro Ciego – For a night like no other, this spot offers dinner theatre in the heart of Buenos Aires.

Complejo Tango – A great place to go for a tango performance or a lesson.

Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires – An art museum and cultural centre that promotes modern Latin artists.

Museo Evita – Housed in a great mansion, this museum pays tribute to Evita Peron.

Calle Florida – A great area of town where you can enjoy the early 20th-century architecture as you stroll down this mile-long walking mall.

Buenos Aires Shopping

Perugia Bottier – With more than 50 years of experience, this shop offer some of the best in women’s shoes.

Feria de Mataderos – The place to go for wonderful handmade products while enjoying the street entertainment and local food.

Maria Vazquez – One of the most famous designers from Argentina with amazing women’s fashions.

Winery – One of Argentina’s high-class chain stores that offers a wonderful variety of local wines.

Downtown is the city centre and the obvious place to start exploring the city. Here you’ll find Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada and Manzana de las Luces.

Florida Streetis great for shopping, but not so great if you don’t want to be surrounded by tourists. You can spend a lot of money here, but don’t expect to soak up much Argentinean culture in the process.

San Telmo, with its cobbled streets, winding lanes and traditional architecture, brings to mind the south of Spain. At night, though, its influences are altogether more worldly as its often-unconventional, highly charged and sexy nightlife gets into gear.

Visit the famous Russian Orthodox Church and Lezama Park, or browse the San Telmo Antiques Fair,where you won’t struggle to find a quick Tangoperformance happening on the street. Sigh.

This is where you want to be for great bars, restaurants and clubs. It’s a very pretty district so take some time to wander around, take in the colours and find the hidden boutiques. There are several sub-districts to explore such as Palermo-Viejo, Palermo-SoHo and Palermo-Hollywood.

Time to spruce up, because this is the ritzy end of town and location of the famous Recoleta Cemetery and the Rio de la Plata. To get a sneaky but fabulous view of this district and surroundings, walk into the Hotel Etoile, take the lift to floor 14 and enjoy the views! If anyone asks what you’re doing up there, a simple ‘estoy perdido’ (‘I’m lost’) should suffice.

Buenos Aires Eat & Drink

Buenos Aires has a number of high-quality restaurants – and not all of them are dedicated to steak! For the best time, leave your dining until late. The locals often don’t even start getting ready to go out before midnight.

Arte Sano If you’ve been punishing your body a bit too much during your travels, this is a great place to stop for a veggie meal or to get your vitamin levels back to normal! Lucio N Mansilla

La Cabrera The best place in BA for a big hearty steak. Served up on a wooden board, you’ll struggle to get through it – the steak that is – but you’ll be glad you did!

Scalabrini Ortiz A bit of a cheat if you’re wanting the authentic experience, but a nice place to get some good old-fashioned American food if you’re nursing a hangover! Cerviño

Cumaná Traditional dishes from all over Argentina. This hearty Spanish/Indian fare really hits the spot.

Piegari Great Italian food and wine with fresh pasta and risotto made on the premises. Posadas

La Bourgogne You might have to save up for this one. The winner of many awards, this is the best French food in BA. Wear a tie or just look through the window from outside! Av. Alvear

Oak Bar Not so much a great place to eat out, this cigar bar is one of the few remaining places where you can light up a fat one and schmooze with rich locals.

Cabaña Las Lilas The jury’s out as to whether this is the best food in the city, or majorly overpriced. It’s right on the water so we can tell you one thing for sure – the view is spectacular. Puerto Madero

Dora has been serving seafood on Argentina’s coastline for 40 years and they’re still getting it right. Leandro N. Alem

Plaza Asturias Steak hang from the ceilings in this traditional eatery that has served Porteños for decades.

Buenos Aires Events

Mi Buenos Aires Querible comes around annually in July. The festival spreads across all 48 districts of the city and celebrates the significance of 500 places of significance across BA.

July also brings the International Rural Festival,where the finest bovine beauties are paraded for all to judge. Along with this comes horse-jumping and other events, as well as food and wine (of course!).

Museum Night takes place in November. 100 public and private viewing spaces open their doors at nighttime.

December celebrates the Buen Dia Festival with unique stalls, quirky markets and live bands. The perfect picnic opportunity.

Get your Royal on for the Argentinian Polo Tournament, held on weekends from November to April.

Ex-pats unite year-round in Buenos Aires and its surroundings. Through the wonders of Facebook, people organise ex-pat events such as flash-mobs (like the very first, in 2006, which saw the ‘World’s Biggest Pillow Fight’ take place in BA). Check around for details on what’s coming up!

When To Go

The weather can be unpredictable, with seemingly random cold moments and rainfall. Buenos Aires is at its wettest during January, February and March.

Winter (June to August) – 7-15°C (45-59°F)

Spring (September to October) – 10-23°C (50-73°F)

Summer (November to March) – 16-30°C (61-86°F)

Fall (April to May) – 10-23°C (50-73°F)

What To Miss

Driving!The roads are seemingly out of control at times, so it’s safest to catch a taxi – at least they should know what they’re doing!

Buenos Aires can be expensive. If you’re looking to spoil yourself, then by all means rent the most dapper room in the city, but if you’re travelling on a budget, be sure to shop around. There are some cheap places to stay if you look for them.

Caballito district has some lovely shops and beautiful parks and is definitely worth a day trip. But don’t wander off alone as there are a number of unsafe areas in this district.

Getting Around

Subte (the Buenos Aires Metro) can get pretty stuffy and crowded during peak hour, but it’s easy to use and will get you almost everywhere you need to go. For around US$1.10 a trip, it’s well priced, or you can purchase a multiple trip card to avoid constantly queuing for tickets.

The bus system can be a little confusing, so invest in a bus guide (Guia T). At around US$1.25 per trip, it’s another cheap way of getting around.

The traffic in BA is somewhat insane, so riding your bike is probably not the safest option. However, you can join a bike tour to show you around the city and some of these companies will loan out their bikes for individual use.

Buenos Aires information on Wikipedia

Buenos Aires Information

A dynamic populace and rich cultural heritage coalesce to make Buenos Aires a delightful city. Like the tango, the capital of Argentina is intense and dramatic. But like the passionate throngs at a Boca Juniors football game, the city is explosive and festive.

What marks Buenos Aires as special however, is the promise of a total experience. At 13 million people, the metropolitan fusion of Europe, South America and Latin America, with waves of recent immigration from Asia, caters to a vast array of caprices. The result is a cosmopolitan and sexy city, all in one funky package.

Attractions & Events

Attractions

The Catedral Metropolitana is the crown jewel of Buenos Aires. Adjacent to the famous Plaza de Mayo, the cathedral has undergone several renovations since the 16th century. The structure now evokes a Neoclassical and Baroque aesthetic, with a grand interior that contains several important monuments and works of art.

Avenida de Mayo is a veritable tribute to the Gran Via of Madrid. With sites around every corner, the street is the quintessential tourist walk of Buenos Aires. From the colonial era Cabildo government house to the Palacio Barolo, Chile Hotel and Rodin's Thinker at Congress Plaza, Avenida de Mayo has a number of superb photo ops and enough adorable caff&eacute; bars to keep you busy for one entire afternoon.

A collection of 48 barrios, Buenos Aires is far from one homogenous city. Within the Puerto Madero district is Corrientes Avenue, a main artery that ranks as one of the best in the world. The &ldquo;Street That Never Sleeps&rdquo; offers a plethora of welcome distractions over a span of 69 blocks. From the landmark Obelisk of Buenos Aires to elegant caf&eacute;s, bookstores, theatres and shops, Corrientes is a prime area of the city.

The barrio of La Boca was the traditional haunt for immigrants from Genoa, hearty contributors to the development of Buenos Aires over the years. The area preserves a strong European air even today and offers some of the most remarkable architecture in the city. The pedestrian street of Caminito is a popular spot, with tango performances and myriad traces of master painter Benito Quinquela Mart&iacute;n, a La Boca native.

Events

The fervent passion for football on the continent of South America is legendary. Perhaps the best manifestation of this excessive zeal is a match between Boca Juniors and River Plate. The two Buenos Aires clubs form a rivalry unlike any in the world. If tickets to the epic confrontation become available, do not waver. Otherwise, a regular Boca match at the famous La Bombonera, or Chocolate Bowl stadium, will suffice.

The Teatro Col&oacute;n is one of the premier concert halls in the world. The phenomenal opera house is a dream destination for performers around the world, who seldom play here before less than capacity crowds.

While the barrios of San Telmo and Recoleta come alive with popular annual festivals that celebrate traditional culture in Argentina, the Feria de Mataderos is the most authentic. With weekly events that run from April to December, the fair is a showcase of gaucho culture and folklore, with live music, crafts and food vendors.

Climate

Buenos Aires has a humid subtropical climate, with sporadic cold snaps in the winter. The months of January, February and March receive the most rainfall, with about 120 mm on average.

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